Am I Menopausal or Bipolar?

by Terry K
(Levittown, NY)

I have a cousin who is bipolar. She’s under control with medication but there are times we see her moods changing in an abnormal way and it can be pretty alarming. I always wondered what the family predisposition to bipolar was in general, but never thought I’d actually feel the mood swings like she does until I became menopausal.

My daughter and I were going to the mall like we tend to do on Saturday mornings when I first realized these mood swings. I was really cranky waking up, which is not usual as I am a morning person.

I snapped at her and tried to avoid the mall outing by complaining about the mess in her room, or the general state of the yard. Anything to get my anger out, pretty much. But within an hour, I was flushed with energy and ready to go. I barely even registered what I had said to her earlier, and we were off.

At Macy’s, I started to feel overly warm and had to take off my coat and sweater, even though my daughter was freezing. With the change in my body temperature my anger came back.

It’s been like this for a while, as I’m still going through menopause according to the doctor. I’ve been trying to be more conscious of my attitudes and reel myself in when I get mad but I almost feel like it’s impossible, just like how my cousin feels on one of her bad days. It’s such a tough battle for some to get through menopause, and I feel I’m one of those warriors that just has to fight through it.